


End of the Bloodline

by TheBrothersRowe



Category: Thundercats (2011)
Genre: Alternate death au, Angst, Hurt, My boy dies rip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:07:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22597555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBrothersRowe/pseuds/TheBrothersRowe
Summary: One of royal blood still died that night. And Claudus wished so dearly that it had been him instead.
Kudos: 30





	End of the Bloodline

“Father, I can reach him. I’ll be fast, I promise.” Lion-O said. Claudus paused for a moment, pondering his son’s words before slowly nodding. Lion-O had saved them with his knowledge of first ones tech earlier, he’d be an absolute fool to not trust him now. “Go my son, I’ll handle Grune, Tygra can deal with any stragglers.” Claudus responded.

Thankful his father trusted him, the prince prepared to make the climb when his father put a hand on his shoulder. “Lion-O...I…” Claudus grimaced, why were the words so hard to say. A small smile formed on Lion-O’s face, knowing what his father was going to say. 

“I am too, now, I need to go.” Lion-O stated, giving his father and brother one last look as he hurried up the tree, intending to reach Panthro. Hearing the stories their father had told them about Panthro, he’d be a great ally during this attack.

With his brother was dealing with the lizards and his father battling off Grune, Lion-O began climbing up the tree, intending to free the panther. Panthro watched closely as the prince made his way up the tree. It wasn’t what was supposed to happen, but it just might work. Their attack was going to end with the royal family dead, and just maybe this would work as well.

Lion-O grunted as he pulled himself up, panting, looking at the panther before him. “Hold on, we’re going to get you out of here. I promise.” Taking out his weapon, Lion-O broke the chains. Panthro weakly grunted as he fell to the ground, looking up the prince.

With a mighty roar, Claudus struck Grune down, watching his old ‘friend’ fall off the tree. A heavy breath left him, looking up to see his son beside Panthro. Putting his sword down, the king began to climb up, Tygra not far below him.

“Come on Panthro. Let’s show these lizards what Thundercats are made of.” Lion-O said, standing back up. The prince turned around, seeing his father and brother heading up, a relieved look on his face. Unknown to him, Panthro slowly began unsheathing his dagger behind his bag. Claudus noticed immediately, horror blooming in his gut as he hurried up, his poor son oblivious.

“SON!!!!” Claudus screamed aloud, reaching out for his boy, watching in horror as the dagger was risen up. Lion-O looked down at his father, when an explosion of pain tore through his back, the dagger tearing into his back. A scream left the prince, his aqua eyes wide in pain. “NOOOO!!!” Claudus screamed out, unable to believe that two of his oldest friends would betray him in such ways. Tygra was frozen in his spot, looking in horror.

Panthro ripped the dagger out of the prince’s back, watching him stumble before toppling off the top of the tree. Lion-O fell back, hitting a branch as he fell down towards the water.

Not even hesitating, Claudus dived into the water, the sword landing in one the tree roots as he dove down. Tygra quickly following him into the reddening water. The king quickly resurfaced, his heart aching as his son weakly laid against his chest. Tygra paddled over, helping Claudus bring Lion-O to the ledge.

Climbing out of the water, Claudus carefully laid his son down, grimacing at how quickly his fur reddened. This couldn’t be happening, his boy… “Lion-O.” Claudus whispered. A whimper left the prince, slowly opening his eyes. “Father...I’m...I’m sorry… I’m…” A soft breathe left Lion-O before the prince closed his eyes, going still in his father’s arms.

“Lion-O! Lion-O!” Claudus shouted, shaking his son, horrified as he didn’t get a response. No, his son couldn’t be dead. Tygra was still beside him, silently staring at Lion-O.

A laugh suddenly caught their attention, Claudus’ blood boiling as he looked up at Panthro. “Panthro, how COULD you?! Murder my own flesh and blood!” Claudus growled, both of them betrayed him, and now they’d surely be punished for it.

Panthro smirked, looking down at the two, “Heh, how easy it is to fool all of you, so easy to cut the royal bloodline short.”. Both noticed immediately how his voice altered, burning away in blue flames to reveal someone else. The two looked in horror as a figure they never expected appeared. “Mumm-Ra…. It can’t be.” Claudus gasped. 

“It is I! Mumm-Ra, the over living!” Mumm-Ra cackled. Claudus laid his son down, about to stand up and fight this monster when he quickly found himself surrounded by lizards with Tygra. The king went for his sword, only to realize it wasn’t on him, he looked back, shocked to see it in the tree. An angered growl left him as the two of them were surrounded, unable to fight against the numbers around them. With a heavy heart the two surrendered, being taken away by the lizards.

The two were led away from the remains of Thundera, being locked away in a single cell. The gauntlet was taken away Claudus, leaving them both weaponless. Tygra was eerily silent, keeping his head down. A sigh of defeat left the king, looking out the window as his frown deepened. It was still so hard to believe...his son was dead, gone in his arms just like that.

Having no chance of fighting back, the king and remaining prince were taken away, locked away. Tygra paced around the cell, looking around while Claudus sat on the bed, hanging his head low.

“Father...come on, we need to retrieve the sword and leave this place.” Tygra said, giving his father a glance. He was never one for emotions and certainly he argued with his brother a lot, but to think… that he was really gone, it was still hard for him to believe it. His brother was really dead…

Claudus remained silent, staring at the ground. It was unusual to see his mighty father so broken, it unnerved him deeply. A sigh left Tygra, continuing to search the cell for a way out. “My kingdom...my people… gone.” Tygra paused, turning back to his father, “ Yes, they could be rebuilt… but what does it matter? My son… gone. I never got to apologize or tell him how proud I was. As his father, I should have protected him. But I am a failure of a king and a father.”.

His words hung heavy, the truth painful. They both had been awful to him...and now he was gone.

Before Tygra could say anything, the sound of footsteps caught the tigers' attention. A figure approaching the door, revealing the lizard that Lion-O had released. “You.” Tygra growled out, “We released you, and this how you repay us?! Bringing Mumm-Ra in and getting him killed?!”. Claudus looked up a little, but stayed in his spot.

The lizard was silent for a moment, before putting two bowls up soup down. “I suggest you eat.” They said, before leaving. Tygra continued shouting at the lizard as they left. As Claudus looked over, he noticed a strange shine coming from the stew. Forcing himself from his spot, Claudus walked over, grabbing the bowl.

Noticing his father was suddenly beside him, Tygra looked down confused finding him crouched down by the bowl. “What are you doing?” He asked. Ignoring his son, Claudus felt around the soup until he felt it. Picking up the object, the two looked at the key shocked. “By Thundera…” Claudus gasped.

Standing back up, Claudus approached the door, unlocking it. “Guess Lion-O was right about one thing.” Tygra grimaced, stepping out of the cell, “Come on. Let’s get the sword.”.

Despite his son’s urging, Claudus stayed in his spot. “Father? Come on, we have to get the sword back from Mumm-Ra.” Tygra stated.

“What’s the point..? He took down Thundera with such ease, we were not prepared, we know nothing of this tech. He’d just defeat us again. Thundera is gone, the people are gone, Lion-O is gone. What is there left to fight for..?” Claudus asked.

This took Tygra by surprise, “Are you saying we let Mumm-Ra win? He took everything from us! If we don’t stop him, then what’s stopping him from taking everything else? I’m not going to sit around and let my brother die for nothing.”. This snapped Claudus out of it. Those words alone were enough to snap Claudus out of his state of defeat, and starting to return.

_ Mumm-Ra, that monster used his friend to betray them. Used his friends appearance to deceive them and kill his son! He destroyed his kingdom and killed his people! This would not stand! _

Aqua eyes simmered with rage, Claudus clenching his fist. “It’s my fault I couldn’t protect my people or family, and I’d rather fall myself than allow Mumm-Ra to kill anymore innocents. The day the legends told us were true. I may not understand first ones tech, but I do understand the Sword of Omens. We’re going to get the sword back, and I’m going to avenge your brother.” Claudus growled, walking over. Tygra gave a small nod, leaving with his father.

_ Mumm-Ra was going to understand soon enough that he should have killed Claudus when he had the chance. _


End file.
